These are some of my key takeaways from my career in media.
Confidence comes from within
Be confident in your own abilities. Women have many strengths, one being intuition, which guides and strengthens our decision-making ability.
Mentorship matters.
Media24 CEO Ishmet Davidson has supported and guided my career path, and reminds me that to succeed I need to let go of certain responsibilities when my role in the business has grown and changed. Rika Swart, general manager of contract logistics at Media24, has encouraged me to be fearless.
My proudest moment
These have occurred during times of change. Encouraging Die Burger readers to access the publication electronically, driving excellent commercial results (after a heartbreaking restructure process), introducing integrated multi-platform media solutions to customers, and currently I am leading a pivotal change in Media24 by aligning two crucially important commercial teams: Ads24 and The Space Station. [This move has created Adspace24.]
Lessons from my childhood
Don’t be afraid of taking chances, as with willpower and a desire to learn they will carry you a long way. I was never fortunate enough to follow through with a tertiary education after school and started working straight after matric. Now I am completing an MBA at the age of 46. Patience is a virtue!
My advice for young women interested in a media career
Media remains one of the most challenging and exciting industries. It has a crucial role to play in our democracy. Creating quality journalism that is trusted is a huge responsibility requiring passion and innovation. Young women are best positioned to be the future voices of society.
~ Tasmia Ismail is general manager of Adspace24.
